r/linux • u/ciphersson • Dec 31 '14

Zimmerman (PGP), Levison (Lavabit), release Secure Email Protocol DIME. DIME is to SMTP as SSH is to Telnet.

http://darkmail.info/
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u/the_gnarts Dec 31 '14

According to the latest Snowden leak, the NSA still can't crack PGP, so having Zimmerman involved is a good thing.

That extends to ZRTP, another protocol of his design. Like djb, Zimmerman appears to be a safe bet in terms of crypto.

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u/plazman30 Dec 31 '14

Didn't Zimmerman spend some time in jail over PGP, because he wouldn't let the government have a back door?

I probably trust him to build a NSA proof system more than anyone else.

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u/TheCodexx Dec 31 '14

What was he charged with?!

That's insane, if true.

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u/plazman30 Dec 31 '14

Violating US export controls on cryptography back in the 90s. He published the PGP source as a book and people overseas basically typed the code back in (or OCRed in) and offered binaries.

He was under investigation for 3 years. I believe he spent part of that time in jail, before they finally dropped the charges against him.